Magcal is coming! “SIMONDOLL Simon Yotsuya” Exhibition

I attended the preview of the "SIMONDOLL Yotsuya" exhibition, which will be held at the Sogo Museum of Art from Saturday, May 31st to Sunday, July 6th!
In this exhibition, you can meet 46 dolls ranging from the earliest works to the latest works.
For someone like me who had always wanted to see the real thing with my own eyes, it was so spectacular that it made me want to dance.
A doll that I have only seen in books is right in front of my eyes...so moving!!

《Sisters》 2012 Collection of the artist

After experiencing this exhibit, I can say with all my heart, ``I want you to see it for yourself.''
Simon's doll is thinking. Mr. Simone is thinking about it as he makes it.
I have a strong feeling that the crystal is right in front of me, and it seems that how I interpret it and how I feel about it is completely up to me.
I would like you to experience the presence of the work, which stands gracefully and silently in the dimly lit venue.

I think it's okay to have no preconceptions or knowledge.
This is because Simon himself continues to ask himself, ``What is a doll?'' as he creates his works, so it is hard to even tell if the work in front of him is a ``doll.''
``Hmm. What on earth is a doll?'' I thought and thought, and was simply ecstatic in front of the mysteriously beautiful work.
With just that, I feel like "SIMONDOLL" is throwing something back at me.
I also had the dream-like opportunity to interview Mr. Simon directly at this preview, so I would like to report on the conversation.

From the exhibition view

Q: This was my first time seeing the real dolls up close, and I was curious about the earrings. Why do you put earrings that are disproportionate to the size of a girl's face?

Yotsuya : I don't think about anything outside of the doll, it's just the doll.
So I think at least something that a boy doll can wear, like a watch, would be fine.
My personal opinion is that earrings for girls are cuter than necklaces.
In fact, the things the dolls are wearing are large enough for a human to wear, and even then, they are not disproportionate. It's cute even though it's a little big.

"Girl's Doll" (detail) 2008 Collection of Kamata Kyosaikai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation

Q: Is there a purpose behind the dolls wearing only shoes and no clothes?

Yotsuya : I guess making them wear shoes means that their contact with the outside world is cut off.
Toes are the tip of a human's toes, and by putting shoes on them, this doll is established as a doll, and a world of dolls alone is established.
Of course, she can still function as a doll even if she's barefoot and doesn't wear shoes.
My personal impression was, "Oh, it's going to melt. That's something different."

Q: Does the doll in the box also have the intention of cutting off contact with the outside world?

Yotsuya : I like things like specimen boxes. It's like the world that exists through a cold glass plate. For example, a shop window.
Hard and transparent things, and the world that is created through them...it's not such an exaggerated thing, though. Well, I guess it's a specimen box.

Q: Simon's work is different from "box works" like Joseph Cornell's.
It looked like a ``box'' filled with dolls.

Yotsuya : There's an angel series, right? I wanted to play around with pasting letters and making collages, and that required some settings, so I made a box. I guess it's a little different from Guard.

Collage part mentioned in the story Immediate Love 2 (part) 1995 Collection of Kamata Kyosaikai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation

Q: There were some male dolls with black hair, but I couldn't find any female dolls with black hair.
Do you dislike black hair?

Yotsuya : Girls' dolls have an image stuck in them, like the nursery rhyme, ``The doll has blue eyes.''
I might just be the embodiment of what you would call a French doll with blonde hair and blue eyes.
When you put black hair on a girl, something really strong comes out, like the color tone and all sorts of other things.
If you have blonde hair or a light color, no matter how much hair you have, it will feel fluffy and weigh you down.
I've never made a doll of a girl with black hair.

Mr. Simon Yotsuya responding to an interview

Mr. Simon responded with a warm smile from beginning to end, saying, ``I guess I answered correctly.'' wonderful. It was a short time of 10 minutes, but it was an intense, light and expansive moment. It's a lovely and precious experience that makes you want to lock it up in a specimen box and look at it over and over again. I'm really thankful to you.

A.O.
Lives in Tokyo
Currently studying at Tokyo Zokei University, majoring in painting.
I'm growing bean seedlings.